Chapter 199 Black Theme Song
When Ye Fan came out of the bedroom after changing clothes, he noticed the sofa was empty, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Xiao Xi."
"I'm in the kitchen."
Hearing her response, Ye Fan let out a sigh of relief. He was genuinely worried this girl might leave without saying goodbye.
It wasn't like it hadn't happened before.
Ning Xi was squatting by the trash can, picking vegetables. Her tranquil demeanor seemed completely at odds with the task she was performing, yet everything was harmonized by the smile on her face, creating a strangely beautiful contradiction.
Ye Fan squatted down and snatched the vegetables from her hands in one swift motion.
"Hey? What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
Meeting Ning Xi's puzzled gaze, Ye Fan feigned displeasure and said, "Leave this kind of thing to me. Why are you doing it yourself?"
"Of course I have to do it myself!"
Ning Xi grabbed Ye Fan's hand and snatched the vegetables back. She said, "I managed to score third place nationally in the joint exams all thanks to your tutoring. To show my gratitude to Teacher Ye, the task of cooking today is mine. Go do whatever else you need to do."
"You... cook?"
Ye Fan looked at Ning Xi as though he had discovered a new continent, his eyes filled with curiosity. He scrutinized her from top to bottom and, seeing her earnest expression, couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Xi, do you even know how to cook?"
In his memories of his previous life, Ning Xi had never cooked—not even once.
This led Ye Fan to subconsciously believe that Ning Xi didn't know how to cook. And given her family's background, it was perfectly normal for her not to. It would actually be surprising if she did.
"No, but can't I learn?"
Ning Xi's movements as she picked vegetables were slow. Her delicate hands were slightly stained with soil from the vegetables, but her soft voice was filled with confidence. "I looked up a lot of information online last night to prepare for this meal. There won't be any problems."
"Have you practiced?"
"No."
"..."
Ye Fan slapped his forehead. After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively suggested, "Xiao Xi, I appreciate the thought, but leave the cooking to me. You just go relax in the living room, okay?"
"No way!"
Ning Xi's movements paused, and she lifted her delicate face slightly. "You go do whatever you need to do. Don't ruin my good mood. Cooking for you is a big deal—most people don't get this treatment, you know!"
That was indeed a fact.
Because...
Even Ning Xi's parents had never tasted a meal cooked by their precious daughter!
"Ahem—"
Warmth surged in Ye Fan's heart, and he said with a smile, "Then let me assist you. Is there anything you need help with?"
"No need!"
Ning Xi placed the vegetables on the floor, patted the dirt off her hands, and dragged Ye Fan out of the kitchen. "Go read or something. Don't come in here to bother me."
With that, she closed the kitchen door with a resounding snap.
Staring at the closed kitchen door, Ye Fan chuckled wryly. To be honest, he really didn't want Ning Xi to cook. Setting aside her cooking skills, the main issue was that he felt bad for her.
But Ning Xi's attitude was too firm, and he couldn't argue with her.
Still, as much as his heart ached, there was a small trace of delight hidden within.
When a girl is willing to cook for a guy, it's a subtle yet strong indication of how she feels about him.
Ye Fan reopened the kitchen door, only to be met with Ning Xi's adorably fierce glare. He quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not here to interfere. But it's better to keep the door open while you're using the gas. I'd feel more at ease."
"Gas?"
Ning Xi tilted her head slightly and blinked at Ye Fan. "How do you use the gas?"
"..."
Just as I thought!
Ye Fan felt a headache coming on. This girl didn't even know the most basic things, yet she had the courage to dive straight into cooking. Her bravery… deserved some applause.
He sighed helplessly and walked her through how to use the gas stove step by step. Only after confirming that she had learned did he feel comfortable leaving the kitchen.
Back in the bedroom, Ye Fan gathered all the remaining books in the house, carried a stool to the living room's floor-to-ceiling window, and activated Inspired Mind.
"Completed reading. Experience points +30."
"Completed reading. Experience points +35."
"Read for ten minutes. Experience points +1."
...
System notifications rang out intermittently.
"Hah—"
When the effects of Inspired Mind faded, Ye Fan let out a breath. Just as the system had said, now that his stamina had reached Level 4, he no longer felt the previous strain while using Inspired Mind.
No sore eyes, no headaches.
Ye Fan quietly tiptoed back to the kitchen door and peeked inside. He saw Ning Xi washing crabs. Her soft aura, combined with her delicate beauty, was utterly captivating.
For some reason, Ye Fan suddenly felt a sense of longing.
When he and Ning Xi got married, this kind of scene would probably become a common occurrence.
But...
The revolution had not yet succeeded, and he still needed to work hard!
As noon approached, four dishes were placed on the coffee table.
Ye Fan, who had been reading by the window, couldn't focus at all. His reading efficiency had dropped severalfold as he constantly glanced at the plates on the table.
The dishes had a dark, almost magical allure that made his scalp tingle.
This…
This won't poison me, right?
No, it shouldn't. This is Ning Xi's cooking!
Such a beautiful girl's cooking couldn't possibly taste bad, right? Surely…
Even as he tried to reassure himself, Ye Fan couldn't fully convince himself. While Ning Xi was still busy in the kitchen, he approached the coffee table, leaned over one plate of tomato and egg, and gave it a sniff. His expression instantly changed.
Oh my…
The smell was… extraordinary!
He couldn't help but glance at the other three dishes, his heart now in his throat.
Was this… stir-fried pork with green peppers?
But where's the pork?
Could it be that these black chunks were the pork?
Countless questions swirled in Ye Fan's mind. He silently looked down at his own stomach and muttered to himself, "Buddy, bear with it today. This is Xiao Xi's first time cooking for me. No matter how bad it tastes, we have to eat it!"
"What are you doing?"
Just then, Ning Xi walked over with a soup pot in her hands. "Move aside; it's hot."
After setting it down, she couldn't help but wave her hands, feeling a sense of pride at her two hours of hard work.
"Ahem!"
Ye Fan stared at the… soup in the pot. Yes, let's call it soup. He had never seen black soup before, but today, his horizons were broadened.
The four dishes and one soup on the table shared a very consistent theme: black.
A symphony of black!
"Xiao Xi, can you tell me what these dishes are?"
"Can't you tell?"
"..."
Seeing Ye Fan's hesitant expression, Ning Xi pointed to the top left plate and said, "This is braised pork. That one..."
"Wait, wait a second."
Ye Fan's eyes widened in shock, his gaze frozen.
Wasn't that supposed to be tomato and egg?
How did it become braised pork...